Caratteristica: Possibile rientro ad anello dal Rifugio Curò

The climb to the Pizzo Recastello is one of the classic routes of Orobie. The equipped section is short and dates back to a detritic canal not difficult but from the unstable background; the itinerary in the complex is however long, with almost 2000 m of altitude difference in an imposing mountain environment.

The starting point is Grumetti, in the municipality of Valbondione, in the upper Val Seriana (Bergamo): from Valbondione go straight to Grumetti, parking in the beach at the end of the road. Starting point on Google Maps. You go up the path 332 towards the artificial lake of the Barbellino, reaching on its shore the Hostel Curò (about 2h 15' from the parking lot). The right is held along the southern shore of the lake to a clear crossroads, where you climb on the path 321 in the Val Cerviera; you go up towards the walls of the Pizzo Recastello while keeping on the left the river (in front you will see the imposing Pizzo Coca). Where the valley is tightened you cross the creek and, following the signs, you go to the south wall; carefully follow a trace with some red stamp on pietrisco and drain until you find the rocky canal where the via equipped (3h 30' from the parking lot).

You go up a rocky canal very climbing, with the chain on the right: the climb is steep but well-tended and you go climbing without excessive tractions on the cable (difficulty never beyond the II degree). After a first steep stretch there is a more supported one and then a third again steep, with almost absent exposure; in about 15' it comes out from the canal and ends the equipment. Then follow a track that cuts diagonally the wall and leads to the final crest, in good exposure with Lake Barbellino a thousand meters lower; between climbs and easy small rocks (insidious if wet) you reach the summit cross of Pizzo Recastello (2886 m, about 4h 30'-5h from the parking lot), with views of Orobie, Bernina and Adamello.

Technically the equipped road is contained (channel of 2nd degree), but it should be framed in a long climb of high mountain; the detritic bottom of the canal requires caution.

High-altitude summer climb; the length and altitude difference impose departure at dawn and good energy management.

You go down backwards through the route, via equipped, up to the Curò hut already visible from the summit. A recommended variant: coming to the Barbellino Lake near the Curò, you keep the left on path 304/306 for a return different from the first part of the route; the 304 runs in falsepiano south bypassing Monte Verme and in about 20' leads to a crossroad where you keep the right downhill on the 305 signpost, which after a steep stretch enters the wood and returns to the parking lot of Grumetti (about 9-10h total).

For those staying in the area: from the hut Barbellino you can face the next day the Ferrata at Pizzo Strinato, with a similar but longer character, or the neighbor Ferrata al Pizzo del Becco. In the area Presolana the easiest Ferrata del Monte Sarrandone; going down to the city Ferrata Maurizio, la Ferrata alla Madonnina del Coren and, towards Lecco, the Ferrata at Monte Ocone.